The embattled justice filed the paperwork to retire on Dec. 20, but news of her plans wasn't released to the media until Monday afternoon, shortly after the the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission filed a formal complaint and called for her interim suspension in light of a federal lawsuit alleging bank fraud and money laundering.

Hathaway's attorney, Steve Fishman, told MLive the commission knew about the retirement last month and called the complaint a "gratuitous" move meant to embarrass and humiliate her.

But Hathaway had no intention to participate in the oral arguments, since she would be gone by the time opinions would be written, Fishman said.

A message left with the judicial tenure commission was not returned as of Monday afternoon.

Supreme court spokeswoman Marcia McBrien said the court was advised of the retirement on Monday afternoon. She said she does not know when Gov. Rick Snyder will make an appointment to fill the vacancy.

Attorney General Bill Schuette said he expects Snyder will move quickly to appoint a successor.

“Given the gravity of ongoing federal allegations and today’s unprecedented Judicial Tenure Commission complaint, it is in the people’s best interest that Justice Hathaway step down from the bench," Schuette said in a statement. "Too many public corruption scandals have damaged the public’s trust in government and tarnished our state’s reputation."

The court is controlled 4-3 by GOP nominees. Democratic-nominated Hathaway was first elected in 2008. Her term expires in 2017.

Federal authorities in November sued Hathway and her lawyer husband Michael Kingsley to seize their Florida home, accusing her of fraudulently hiding control of the real estate while persuading a bank to allow a short sale that forgave $600,000 in mortgage debt on another property in Grosse Pointe Park.

The judicial tenure commission’s complaint includes three counts of fraud, along with counts for federal money laundering, federal tax violations and misrepresentations to the commission. It contends that Hathaway lied to the commission in a Sept. 28, 2012 letter in response to the commission’s investigation of the situation.

The commission argues that Hathaway denied having any direct contact with the mortgage holder while the short sale was pending, but contends that she in fact did communicate with the bank.

Hathaway’s statements to the commission constitute “conduct that is contrary to justice, ethics, honesty, or good morals,” according to the complaint.